Computer-controlled rubbish container

Abstract

A computer-controlled rubbish container includes a power bank, a control circuit, and a wheel assembly coupled to a bottom portion of a rubbish container. The wheel assembly includes an electric motor coupled to a wheel, wherein the wheel rotates upon a wireless signal sent from a computer to the control circuit. In some embodiments, the wheel assembly is configured to engage and disengage from a ground surface such that the rubbish container is capable of manual pushing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-controlled rubbish container comprising:
 a rubbish container having a top portion and a bottom portion and a receptacle body extending therebetween;
 two or more motorized wheel assemblies coupled to the bottom portion, 
 each of the motorized wheel assemblies comprising:
 an electric motor, 
 a wheel coupled to the electric motor, 
 an actuator coupled to the wheel, and 
 a motor bracket hingedly coupled to the bottom portion and further coupled to the electric motor, and a wheel bracket hingedly coupled to the bottom portion and further coupled to the wheel, 
 wherein upon extension of the actuator, the wheel is configured to engage with a ground surface, and upon retraction of the actuator the wheel is configured to disengage from the ground surface; 
 
 
 a plurality of casters coupled to the bottom portion of the rubbish container, wherein the plurality of casters is engaged to the ground surface when the actuator is in a retracted state, and the plurality of casters is disengaged from the ground surface when the actuator is in an extended state; 
 a wheel assembly shield coupled to the bottom portion and configured to surround at least a portion of the motorized wheel assembly; 
 a power bank for providing a power source to the electric motor and actuator; and 
 a control circuit coupled to the electric motor; 
 wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a wireless signal comprising said driving instructions for achieving remote drive capability. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 1 , the wheel assembly shield further comprising a slanted wall. 
     
     
       3. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 1 , the motorized wheel assembly further comprising a bumper coupled to a wheel bracket, wherein the bumper is configured to engage with the bottom portion and thereby inhibit over-retraction of the actuator. 
     
     
       4. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more solar panels coupled to the rubbish container. 
     
     
       5. A computer-controlled rubbish container comprising:
 a rubbish container having a top portion and a bottom portion and a receptacle body extending therebetween;
 a motorized wheel assembly coupled to the bottom portion,
 the motorized wheel assembly comprising an electric motor and a wheel coupled to the electric motor, and a motor bracket hingedly coupled to the bottom portion and further coupled to the electric motor, and a wheel bracket hingedly coupled to the bottom portion and further coupled to the wheel; 
 
 
 a power bank for providing a power source to the electric motor; and 
 a control circuit coupled to the electric motor, wherein the control circuit is configured to receive a wireless signal comprising said driving instructions for achieving remote drive capability. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 5 , the motorized wheel assembly further comprising an actuator coupled to the wheel wherein the wheel is configured to engage to a ground surface when the actuator is in an extended state, the wheel further configured to disengage from the ground surface when the actuator is in a retracted state. 
     
     
       7. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 6 , further comprising a plurality of casters coupled to the bottom portion of the rubbish container, the plurality of casters is configured to engage the ground surface when the actuator is in the retracted state, the plurality of casters further configured to disengage from the ground surface when the actuator is in the extended state. 
     
     
       8. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 5 , further comprising a wheel assembly shield coupled to the bottom portion of the rubbish container and configured to surround at least a portion of the motorized wheel assembly. 
     
     
       9. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 8 , wherein the wheel assembly shield further comprises a slanted wall. 
     
     
       10. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 5 , the motorized wheel assembly further comprising a bumper coupled to a wheel bracket, wherein the bumper is configured to engage with the bottom portion and thereby inhibit over-retraction of the actuator. 
     
     
       11. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 5 , further comprising two or more motorized wheel assemblies. 
     
     
       12. The computer-controlled rubbish container of  claim 5 , further comprising one or more solar panels coupled to the rubbish container. 
     
     
       13. A motorized wheel assembly comprising:
 an electric motor, 
 a wheel coupled to the electric motor, 
 a linear actuator coupled to the wheel, the electric motor, or both, 
 the linear actuator configured to extend and retract and wherein the wheel is configured to comprise a plurality of positions upon movement of the actuator; and 
 a bumper coupled to the wheel and configured to inhibit over-retraction of the linear actuator; 
 wherein the motorized wheel assembly is configured to couple to a bottom portion of a rubbish container. 
 
     
     
       14. The motorized wheel assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a motor bracket coupled to the electric motor and a wheel bracket coupled to the wheel, wherein the motor bracket and wheel bracket are each configured to hingedly couple to the bottom portion. 
     
     
       15. The motorized wheel assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a wheel assembly shield configured to couple to the bottom portion and further configured to surround at least a portion of the motorized wheel assembly.